U.S. Visa: Reciprocity and Civil Documents by Country

Honduras

Reciprocity Schedule

Select a visa category below to find the visa issuance fee,
number of entries, and validity period for visas issued to applicants from this country*/area of authority.

Explanation of Terms

Visa Classification: The type of nonimmigrant visa you are applying for.

Fee: The reciprocity fee, also known as the visa issuance fee, you must pay. This fee is in addition to the nonimmigrant visa application fee (MRV fee).

Number of Entries: The number of times you may seek entry into the United States with that visa. "M" means multiple times. If there is a number, such as "One", you may apply for entry one time with that visa.

Validity Period: This generally means the visa is valid, or can be used, from the date it is issued until the date it expires, for travel with that visa. If your Validity Period is 60 months, your visa will be valid for 60 months from the date it is issued.

The validity of A-3, G-5, and NATO 7 visas may not exceed the validity of the visa issued to the person who is employing the applicant. The "employer" would have one of the following visa classifications:

A-1

A-2

G-1 through G-4

NATO 1 through NATO 6

An E-1 and E-2 visa may be issued only to a principal alien who is a national of a country having a treaty, or its equivalent, with the United States. E-1 and E-2 visas may not be issued to a principal alien if he/she is a stateless resident. The spouse and children of an E-1 or E-2 principal alien are accorded derivative E-1 or E-2 status following the reciprocity schedule, including any reciprocity fees, of the principle alien’s country of nationality.

Example: John Doe is a national of the country of Z that has an E-1/E-2 treaty with the U.S. His wife and child are nationals of the country of Y which has no treaty with the U.S. The wife and child would, therefore, be entitled to derivative status and receive the same reciprocity as Mr. Doe, the principal visa holder.

The validity of H-1 through H-3, O-1 and O-2, P-1 through P-3, and Q visas may not exceed the period of validity of the approved petition or the number of months shown, whichever is less.

Under 8 CFR §214.2, H-2A and H-2B petitions may generally only be approved for nationals of countries that the Secretary of Homeland Security has designated as participating countries. The current list of eligible countries is available on USCIS's website for both H-2A and H-2B visas. Nationals of countries not on this list may be the beneficiary of an approved H-2A or H2-B petition in limited circumstances at the discretion of the Department of Homeland Security if specifically named on the petition.

Derivative H-4, L-2, O-3, and P-4 visas, issued to accompanying or following-to-join spouses and children, may not exceed the validity of the visa issued to the principal alien.

There is no reciprocity fee for the issuance of a J visa if the alien is a United States Government grantee or a participant in an exchange program sponsored by the United States Government.

Also, there is no reciprocity fee for visa issuance to an accompanying or following-to-join spouse or child (J-2) of an exchange visitor grantee or participant.

In addition, an applicant is eligible for an exemption from the MRV fee if he or she is participating in a State Department, USAID, or other federally funded educational and cultural exchange program (program serial numbers G-1, G-2, G-3 and G-7).

However, all other applicants with U.S. Government sponsorships, including other J-visa applicants, are subject to the MRV processing fee.

Under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), Canadian and Mexican nationals coming to engage in certain types of professional employment in the United States may be admitted in a special nonimmigrant category known as the "trade NAFTA" or "TN" category. Their dependents (spouse and children) accompanying or following to join them may be admitted in the "trade dependent" or "TD" category whether or not they possess Canadian or Mexican nationality. Except as noted below, the number of entries, fees and validity for non-Canadian or non-Mexican family members of a TN status holder seeking TD visas should be based on the reciprocity schedule of the TN principal alien.

Canadian Nationals

Since Canadian nationals generally are exempt from visa requirement, a Canadian "TN' or "TD" alien does not require a visa to enter the United States. However, the non-Canadian national dependent of a Canadian "TN", unless otherwise exempt from the visa requirement, must obtain a "TD" visa before attempting to enter the United States. The standard reciprocity fee and validity period for all non-Canadian "TD"s is no fee, issued for multiple entries for a period of 36 months, or for the duration of the principal alien's visa and/or authorized period of stay, whichever is less. See 'NOTE' under Canadian reciprocity schedule regarding applicants of Iranian, Iraqi or Libyan nationality.

Mexican Nationals

Mexican nationals are not visa-exempt. Therefore, all Mexican "TN"s and both Mexican and non-Mexican national "TD"s accompanying or following to join them who are not otherwise exempt from the visa requirement (e.g., the Canadian spouse of a Mexican national "TN") must obtain nonimmigrant visas.

Applicants of Iranian, Iraqi or Libyan nationality, who have a permanent resident or refugee status in Canada/Mexico, may not be accorded Canadian/Mexican reciprocity, even when applying in Canada/Mexico. The reciprocity fee and period for "TD" applicants from Libya is $10.00 for one entry over a period of 3 months. The Iranian and Iraqi "TD" is no fee with one entry over a period of 3 months.

Q-2 (principal) and Q-3 (dependent) visa categories are in existence as a result of the 'Irish Peace Process Cultural and Training Program Act of 1998'. However, because the Department anticipates that virtually all applicants for this special program will be either Irish or U.K. nationals, the Q-2 and Q-3 categories have been placed only in the reciprocity schedules for those two countries. Q-2 and Q-3 visas are available only at the Embassy in Dublin and the Consulate General in Belfast.

No S visa may be issued without first obtaining the Department's authorization.

V-2 and V-3 status is limited to persons who have not yet attained their 21st birthday. Accordingly, the period of validity of a V-2 or V-3 visa must be limited to expire on or before the applicant's twenty-first birthday.

Posts may not issue a T-1 visa. A T-1 applicant must be physically present in the United States, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands or a U.S. port of entry, where he/she will apply for an adjustment of status to that of a T-1. The following dependents of a T-1 visa holder, however, may be issued a T visa at a U.S. consular office abroad:

T-2 (spouse)

T-3 (child)

T-4 (parent)

The validity of NATO-5 visas may not exceed the period of validity of the employment contract or 12 months, whichever is less.

The validity of CW-1 and CW-2 visas shall not exceed the maximum initial period of admission allowed by DHS (12 months) or the duration of the transition period ending December 31, 2014, whichever is shortest.

The validity of E-2C visas shall not exceed the maximum initial period of admission allowed by DHS (24 months) or the duration of the transition period ending December 31, 2014, whichever is shortest.

Birth Certificates

Special Seal(s) / Color / Format: Certified copy of Folio (original seal and signature from the registrar of the issuance RNP’s office)

Issuing Authority Personnel Title: Registrar

Registration Criteria: If a child is not registered on his/her first year of age, parents will need a Resolution from the RPN’s “Oficialía Civil”. The procedure is called a “Reposición por Omisión”.

Procedure for Obtaining:

Applicants residing inside of Honduras: Walk-in at the RNP offices.

Applicants residing outside of Honduras: Applicants may send proxies in their stead to request official documents, but the offices have the right to request a notarized document from the applicant granting the proxy permission. Applicants may obtain these notarized statements at any Honduran Consulate and mail the certified forms to their proxies in Honduras.

Certified Copies Available: Certified copies are available

Alternate Documents: Birth folios prior to 1984 may be hand-written with the RNP stamp or logo on the document. Starting in 2000, folios were typed.

Exceptions: None

Comments: For immigration purposes the Immigrant Visa Unit requires the Copy of Birth Folio. Expedientes de vida, hoja de vida, literals, certificacions, and its annotations are not acceptable for immigrant visa processing.

Death Certificates

Available

Fees: L 200.00 (USD $10.00)

Document Name: Certificación de Acta de Defunción Exhibit D

Issuing Authority: Registro Nacional de las Personas (RNP)

Special Seal(s) / Color / Format: There is no special seal(s)/color/format

Issuing Authority Personnel Title: Registrar

Registration Criteria: There is no registration criteria

Procedure for Obtaining: Walk-in at any Registro Nacional de las Personas (RNP)

Marriage Certificates

Special Seal(s) / Color / Format: Certified copy of folio (original seal and signature from the registrar of the issuance RNP's office)

Issuing Authority Personnel Title: RNP Registrar

Registration Criteria: There is no registration criteria

Procedure for Obtaining:

Applicants residing inside of Honduras: Walk-in at the RNP offices.

Applicants residing outside of Honduras: Applicants may send proxies in their stead to request official documents, but the offices have the right to request a notarized document from the applicant granting the proxy permission. Applicants may obtain these notarized statements at any Honduran Consulate and mail the certified forms to their proxies in Honduras.

Certified Copies Available: Certified copies are available

Alternate Documents: Marriage folios prior to 1984 may be hand-written with the RNP stamp or logo on the document. Starting in 2000, folios were typed.

Exceptions: None

Comments:

Only civil marriages are legally recognized; religious documents have no civil value.

The office of the ‘Registro Nacional de las Personas’ has two variations of the marriage certificate. For immigrant purposes, the Immigrant Visa Unit requires the long-form marriage certificate, also known as the ‘Folio de Matrimonio’.

Expedientes de vida, hoja de vida, literals, certificacions, and its annotations are not acceptable for immigrant visa processing.

Applicants residing outside of Honduras: Applicants may send proxies in their stead to request official documents, but the offices have the right to request a notarized document from the applicant granting the proxy permission. Applicants may obtain these notarized statements at any Honduran Consulate and mail the certified forms to their proxies in Honduras.

Certified Copies Available: Certified copies are available

Alternate Documents: There are no alternate documents

Exceptions: None

Comments: According to Honduran law, only divorces communicated and registered in the Registro Nacional de las Personas are valid. This includes foreign divorces of Honduran marriages, which are not considered valid unless they are either:

A) Notarized by a Honduran consulate. Submit the notarized divorce decree to the RPN’s “Secretaria General” who will subsequently issue a resolution to register the divorce at the local RNP office where the marriage took place; or

B) Petition an “Auto de Pariatis” to the Honduran Supreme Court, which is akin to the U.S process for domesticating foreign judgements.

Unavailable: There is no registration of adoptions for the public to obtain, as the original birth certificate of an adopted child is cancelled and a new one is issued with no marginal annotation that it's an adoption.

Registration Criteria: All criminal complaints filed against individuals remain in the police record system until either the complaining party formally drops the charges or the case has been formally adjudicated.

Procedure for Obtaining: The Applicant must request the document in person and present a Honduran identification card, a copy of the card, and a letter of request addressed to the Director of the DPI. Applicants under 18 years of age must present their birth certificate in lieu of the identification card. Payable at the DPI cashier, it will be issued immediately.

Certified Copies Available: Certified copies are not available

Alternate Documents: None

Exceptions: None

Comments: For persons living outside of Honduras, a lawyer or close family member can apply for the record by presenting a copy of the applicant's identification, a letter of authorization, and the letter of request. Normal processing time is less than one week. Police records from before 1995 may not be available. There may be a fee for this service.

Regular: L819.00 (USD $35.00) for 5 years, L1169.00 (USD$50.00) for 10 years

Diplomatic: L 475.00 (USD $20.00)

Official: L475.00 (USD $20.00)

Document Name: Passport

Issuing Government Authority:

Regular: INS

Diplomatic: Foreign Affairs Ministry

Official: Foreign Affairs Ministry

Special Seal(s) / Color / Format:

Regular: The two versions of the regular passport have soft blue covers and have either the Seal of Honduras or a map of Central America embossed in gold. It has 50 blue pages.

Diplomatic: There are two versions of the diplomatic passport. Both have a soft black cover embossed in gold with "Pasaporte Diplomatico" inscribed at the bottom. One has the seal of Honduras on the cover and 50 blue pages while the other version has a map of Central America on the cover and 50 blue pages. Validity is normally for three years or "for however long the bearer is carrying out his duties".

Official: The official passport has a soft blue cover, "Pasaporte Oficial" inscribed at the bottom and either the Seal of Honduras or a map of Central America, all embossed in gold. The passport has 50 blue pages. Validity is either for three years or "for however long the bearer is carrying out his duties."

Issuing Authority Personnel Title:

Regular: INS Chief

Diplomatic: Foreign Minister Secretary

Official: Foreign Minister Secretary

Registration Criteria: There are no registration criteria

Procedure for Obtaining:

Regular: Pay the fee at a Banco Atlantida and the bank will issue a receipt with an appointment date to go to Honduras' INS.

Diplomatic: There is no procedure for obtaining

Official: There is no procedure for obtaining

Alternate Documents: There are no alternate documents

Exceptions: None

Comments: Applicants over 21 need to present their Honduran ID card and if younger than 21, they need to present their birth certificate and be accompanied by both parents.

Other Documents Available: White page (8"x14") sheet with the seal and heading of the Honduran Immigration Office (Direccion General de Poblacion). The permit has a photo of the bearer affixed with the immigration office wet seal. It is usually issued to refugees and persons paroled into Honduras and who do not have residency status. The permit is good for one trip only, it notes specifically the countries for which it is valid for travel, and its validity is rarely for more than six months. Salvo conducto, is issued for one time travel, expires in 90 days from the date it is issued.

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